SIMM stands for Single Inline Memory Module. It’s a small circuit board onto which is attached a number of RAM (Random Access Memory) chips. Instead of having to install small individual chips in your computer, a SIMM makes this task much more convenient. The bottom of the SIMM fits into a slot on the main circuit board of your computer. SIMMs vary in capacity with the number and type of individual memory chips they hold. In addition, older SIMMs have 30 connecting pins on the bottom, while more modern SIMMs have 72 pins. If you plan to increase the amount of RAM in your computer to enable it to run more efficiently and handle more-sophisticated programs, you must know what kind of SIMMs -- 30-pin or 72-pin -- your computer needs, as well as figure out what capacity and configuration it can accommodate. Some computers require adding SIMMs two at a time, while others can handle one at a time. The owner’s manual for your computer has this information, or you can simply carry your computer into your neighborhood computer store and let them figure it out for you. A newer configuration, DIMM, which stands for Dual Inline Memory Module, has -- you guessed it -- two rows of chips instead of one to increase capacity.
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